Cleaner for commutators



'zsHE TssHEET 1.

Feb. l3, 1923.

E. A. DODELIN. CLEANER m12v coMMuTAToRs. FILED FEB. 24, 1922.

Feb. 13, 1923.

Sw nxn 0 T -M mu Em D0 OC DDM .0 A.F IDn LLE N A .LL L C 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FILED FEB, 24| |922- Patented lieb. i3, M923. l

l@ u I AS cnnnnnn non coivrrirornrons.

Application filed February 24:, 1922. Serial No. 539,041.

T all whom t may concern.'

Be it kno-wn that I, EMIL A. Denman, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moorestown, in the county et Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cleaners for Commutators, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to a new and usetul y improvement in cleaners for commutatore,

and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple and eilective device of this description which may be utilized for intermittently removing lubricant or otherloreign substance which tends to accumulate upon the surface of the cominutator thereby keeping said co-mmutator in perfect condition. Y i

A Jfurther object of my invention is to so construct my improved device that it may be readily applicable to the commutator ot any machine either generator or motor.

A still further object ofmy invention is to provide for automatically presenting a new cleaning surface after-each actuation of the device for eleaningthe commutator.

A' still further object of my invention is to so design the same that it may be operated from any convenient point such as the instrument board of an automobile, while the device itself is so located that it will op- -erate upon the commutator of the generator. lilith these and other ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter setyforth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, may un- 40 derstand how to make and use the same, I

' will describe its construction in detail, roterring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application` in which Fig. l, is a side elevation ot' my improved cleaning apparatus in itsproper relation to a generator or motor the latter' being represented in dotted lines. i

Fig. 2, is Ia rear view of Fig. l. lFig. 3, is a detail view of a cushion roll. Fig. 4, is an enlarged ,view ci the swinging arm of a slightly modified design, one of the side plates being removed and the feed rollheing in section.

Fig. 5, is a view of the cleaning' rolls looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. Li.

Fig. 6,' is a detail view ot a feed roll and the actuating ratchet carried thereby.

In carrying` out my invention as here embodied, l. represents a frame which may be ot any suitable sizeor design and which is intended to be secured upon the base or other convenient portion of an electric motor, generator or like machine using a comunitator, such machines being here represented in dotted lines as indicated at 2 the commutator thereof being indicated at 3.

el. represents a swinging yarm which while it may be ot any design is here shown for the purposes ot' illustrating this invention as consisting of two side plates secured toget-her by the rivets o-r screws 5, said rivet-s or screws serving as pintles or axles for the rollers or shives 6 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The swinging arm 4 is pivoted between the side plates of the frame l by means ot the short shafts 7 and 8 and these short shafts are carried by the flanges 9 and l0 respectively, said flanges being secured in any suitable manner to the feed roll 1l which latter lies between the side plates of the swinging arm. A ratchet wheel lf2 is secured upon the short shaft 7 and a spring pressed actuating pawl 13 engages with the teeth oi said ratchet upon one side thereof while a spring pressed running pawl 14; engages with the teeth upon the opposite side et said ratchet in such manner that when the arm i` is swung back and forth this ratchet wheel will be` actuated for the purpose andas hereinafter set forth.

i5 represents a cushion roll which may be either made entirely oi' rubber or partly ot a non-conipressiblle material haring a rubber or felt rim or in any other suitable manner which will provide for a 'slight conipression ot its periphery when contacting with a commutator.

'i6 represents a supply roll 1which consists of a coiled strip of sand `or emery paper or cloth V1T and is journalled between the extensions 18 ot the swinging arm by a removable pin 19 so that when this supply roll is placed in position the strip 17 of which it -is composed may be drawn over the shives 6 around the cushion roll l5 and l so as to bring that portion of the strip which is then upon the cushion roll into contact with the commutator 3 while the latter is revolving it is obvious that the surface of said commutator will be immediately cleaned of any lubricant or other foreign matter thus 'overcoming the tendency of said commutator to offer undue resistance to the passage of the electric current or the spark. rlhis down- -ward swinging movement of the arm will cause the pawl 13 to slip over certain of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 12 and when the arm is swung upward this pawl will revolve the ratchet wheel and in so doing draw a new surface of the strip 17 over the face of the cushion roll 15 thereby providing a new surface of abrasive material or contact with the commutator upon the next downward movement of the arm.

In order that the swinging arm 1- may be normally held in an elevated position, l provide a spring 21 one end of which is attached tothe extension 18 of said arm, whilethe other end is attached to any suitable portion ,of the frame 1.`

For the convenient manipulation of the arm a rod, wire or chain Q2 is attached to the extension 18 and this rod may be carried to any desired point for the manipulation of the arm at a distance threfrom, as for instance, in an automobile this rod may terminate infront of the instrument board so that the driver of a machine may depress the arm forcleaning the commutator without leaving` the seat. y

In Figs. 1 and 5, I have shown a slightly modified form of my invention in which two cushion rolls are .used each of which is journalled in one end of the equalizing bar 23, said bar being pivoted at 241 in the outer end of the swinging arm 4, in order that the strip 17 may be drawn aroundthese rolls in such manner as to leave a section 525 adapted when coming in contact with the connnutator to be flexed to a certain extent thereby bringing the abrasive strip in contact with a lgreater part of the commutator than would be possible in the construction before described. This modilication is especially `adapted for use in connection with large commutators.

In practice I have found that this device thoroughly cleans a. commutator keeping it in perfect condition for the passage of the Vi119` machines and the like.

electric current and that it requires only an occasional application of the abrasive material to the commutator which as before described is readily brought about by the depression of the outer end of the arm which when released is` returned to its normally elevated position by the spring 21; l have also found that this device is equally applicableA to and advantageous for use upon the commutators of all classes of generators and motors, such as those of dynamos, fans, talku f course I do not wish to bel limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new and useful is 1. A commutator cleaner comprising a stationary frame, a swinging arm pivoted to said frame, means for swinging said arm manually in one direction, means for returning said arm to its normal position, a compressible roll carried by the outer end of said arm, a supply roll from which a strip of abrasive material may be drawn, said strip passing around the compressible roll, a feed roll with which the opposite end of the strip is attached, and means for intermittently revolving said feed roll'froml the movements of the 'armi n 2. ln a device of the character'described, a frame adapted to `be securedy in juxtaposition to a commutator, a feed roll journalled between the side plates of said frame, short shafts carried by. the feed roll, aswinging arm pivoted to the 'frame by means of said Ishort shafts, a ratchet wheel secured upon the outer end of one of said shafts, a spring actuated pawl for preventing the re volving of said ratchet wheel in, one direction, a second spring pressed rpawl pivoted to the arm and adapted to revolve thc ratchet wheel in one direction, a compressible roll journalled in the outer end of the arm, a roll of abrasive material mounted upon the arm, guide rolls'over which said abrasive material is drawn so as to pass around the compressible roll and be attached to the feed roll in such manner. that when the arm is swung upward said abrasive material will be drawn forward by said feed roll to present a new surface upon thecompressible roll.

A commutator cleaner comprising a frame` a swinging arm pivoted to said frame, guide rolls carried by said arm, a compressible roll pivoted at the outer end of said arm, means for mounting a rolled strip of abrasive material upon the arm in suchmanner that said strip may be drawn over the 'guide rolls and compressible roll, a feed roll `journalled concentric with the pivot point ofthe arm and adapted to receive one end journalled concentric with the pivot point of the arm yand adapted to receive one end of the abrasive Strip, means for revolving the ing of the arm, a spring for normally holding the arm in an elevated position, and means for manually swinging said arm downward against the action of said spring.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 20 affixed my signature.

EMIL A. DODELIN.

feed roll intermittently by the swingl5 

